Three No Nonsense Ways To Improve Your Health
With so many diet myths flying around at this time of the year If you want health and nutrition tips that are actually evidence based, then crash diets are out, and it’s back to good old common sense and evidence based health and nutrition tips.
Gut Health
An unhealthy gut can lead to a whole host of health problems, from an upset stomach to acne and food intolerances. This is because the bacteria in your gut, known as the gut microbiota, are fundamental for overall health. Any disturbance of the bacteria, or flora, in your gut, can cause serious health issues. There are many things that can have an effect on your gut, namely food, but also stress, sleep disruption, and medications. While antibiotics may be necessary on many occasions, they can be harmful to the good bacteria in your gut. On many occasions, wiping out the good bacteria, as they work on your body. In order to build up the levels of good bacteria in your gut, it is therefore recommended to take prebiotics and probiotics. Taking probiotics are a good idea, regardless of any antibiotics you might be taking, as most of us have less than ideal levels of good bacteria in our gut. Environmental exposures do not help with our overall gut health. Did you know that even air pollution can have a negative effect on our gut microbiome. With so many factors seemingly working against our delicate microbiome, it is necessary to do what we can in order to optimise our gut health.
Good ways to improve gut health includes eating probiotic foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, taking probiotics, and having a fibre rich diet.
Cardio Vs Weight Training
The benefits of cardio and weight training, while different, all contribute to overall fitness. Whether you are a gym bunny or a cardio enthusiast, medical professionals all agree that moving your body regularly is fundamental to overall health. Weight training will increase your muscle mass, and is associated with having stronger bone density, while cardio- such as running is fantastic for your aerobic fitness. While both will eventually put you in a calorie deficit, cardio will do so faster than weight training. However, health isn’t just about weight loss, and the combination of cardio and weight training is optimal for a healthy body. Of course, you need to be careful to not overdo this, and when starting a new fitness regime, it can be easy to put a strain on your body if you are accustomed to this. If you have a sports injury that is limiting you, getting physiotherapy from a licensed professional can help with this.
Don’t Go On Crash Diets
One of the absolute worst things you can do for your health is to go on a crash diet. Diets rarely ever work in the long term, and can actually result in you gaining weight in the future. Instead of going on the latest diet trend, try some of the suggestions listed above, and focus on feeding your body with nourishing foods as part of a wholesome healthier lifestyle.